


Eric's Lullaby

by Mangoesaregood8



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-10
Updated: 2014-09-10
Packaged: 2018-02-16 20:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2283078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mangoesaregood8/pseuds/Mangoesaregood8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eric is having a hard time putting his and Alan's daughter to sleep.  After she refuses to settle down for the night, Eric decides to sing her a lullaby to help her calm down and get to sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eric's Lullaby

It was late one evening and Eric and Alan were trying to get their household ready for bed.  Alan had already showered and changed into his pajamas and was climbing into bed.  Eric however, was trying to get their daughter, Lily, ready to go to sleep.  She was nearly two years old and could be quite stubborn if she wanted, though usually she listened when Eric told her to do something.  She was extremely attached to Eric.

Eric was in Lily’s room, trying to get her dressed.  She had just taken a bath and was insistent upon running around the room without her clothes.

“Lily, get back here! I need to put on your pajamas.  Why do you have so much energy?  It’s almost time for you to go to bed.”  Eric was holding Lily’s pajamas in his hand.

“No!” She squealed and tried to jump into her crib so she could hide under the blankets, but she wasn’t quite tall enough to reach.

“Now I’ve got you.”  Eric quickly grabbed Lily as she struggled and picked her up.

“No Papa!” She screamed.  She was squirming in his arms, trying her hardest to get back down.

“Aye.  You need to put on your pajamas, or you’re going to get sick.”  With difficulty, Eric managed to put the pajamas on Lily.

“Down!” She demanded.

“No Lily.  You need to get into bed.”  Eric was trying to carry her to put her in her crib without dropping her.

“No! No sleepy!” She was crying now.

Eric sighed and carried her over to the rocking chair.  He sat down in it and sat Lily in his lap.  “Why don’t you want to go to bed Lily?  It’s bedtime.”

“No!”  She was still struggling to get away from Eric.

“You can struggle and squirm all you like, I’m not gonna let you go anywhere.”

After a moment more, Lily gave up.  She was pouting deeply.

“It’s time for you to go to sleep Lily.  If you don’t get enough sleep, you’re gonna be all cranky tomorrow.  You don’t want to be cranky, do you?”

Lily shook her head and tried to cross her arms over her chest.  She never was this uncooperative at bed time, and Eric could only try to guess why this night was any different.

Eric sighed and stood up with Lily in his arms.  He walked over and reached into her crib to get her blanket, Daisy, and handed it to her.  The edges were starting to fall apart a bit from Lily chewing on it constantly.

Lily immediately reached for Daisy and hugged it tightly.  “My Daisy.”

“Aye, that’s your Daisy.  Now are you ready to go to sleep?” Eric asked hopefully.

Lily shook her head once more.  “No sleepy.”

“You’re still not sleepy?” Eric thought for a moment.  “How about you sit with Papa in the special chair?”

Lily nodded and Eric sat down in the rocking chair once more.  He was holding Lily close and rubbed at her back soothingly.  She had calmed down significantly, but she really did seem wide awake.  He tried rocking her for about fifteen minutes, but she didn’t seem any more tired than when they had started.

“Are you ready for bed now Lily?” 

Lily shook her head but rubbed at her eyes.  So she was starting to get tired after all.  She was holding on tightly to Daisy and had her head on Eric’s shoulder.

“How about I sing you a lullaby?” Eric suggested.

“Lullby?” Lily asked, trying to repeat the word. 

“A lullaby.  It’s a song that you sing to someone when they aren’t sleepy but need to go to sleep.”

“Ok.” Lily nuzzled into Eric.  She liked it when her papa sang to her.

Eric held her close and gave her a kiss before he started signing.  It was a song that his mother used to sing to him in Gaelic when he was young and had trouble sleeping.  He sang quietly to Lily, trying to lull her to sleep.

_“Feasgar ciùin an tùs a’ Chèitein_ __  
Nuair bha ‘n ialtag anns na speuran  
Chualaim rìbhinn òg ‘s i deurach  
‘Seinn fo sgàil nan geugan uain’  
Bha a’ ghrian ‘sa chuan gu sìoladh  
‘S reult cha d’ èirich anns an iarmailt  
Nuair a sheinn an òigh gu cianail  
Tha mo ghaol air àird a’ chuain.”

Lily’s eyes were starting to droop as she grew tired.  Eric’s voice was soothing and helping her to relax.  
 _“Thòisich dealt na h-oidhch’ ri tùirling_  
‘S lùb am braon gu caoin na flùrain  
Shèid a’ ghaoth ‘na h-oiteig chùbhraidh  
Beatha ‘s ùrachd do gach cluan  
Ghleus an nighneag fonn a h-òrain  
Sèimh is ciùin mar dhriùchd an Òg-mhìos  
‘S bha an t-sèisd seo ‘g èirigh ‘n còmhnaidh  
Tha mo ghaol air àird a’ chuain.  
Chiar an latha is dheàrrs’ na reultan  
Sheòl an rè measg neul nan speuran  
Shuidh an òigh, bha ‘bròn ‘ga lèireadh  
‘S cha robh dèigh air tàmh no suain  
Theann mi faisg air reult nan òg-bhean  
Sheinn mu ‘gaol air chuan ‘bha seòladh  
O bu bhinn a caoidhrean brònach  
Tha mo ghaol air àird a’ chuain.”

Lily’s eyes were closed now and her breathing even.  She was holding on tightly to Eric and to her blanket.  Eric smiled softly and kissed her forehead before he continued singing.  
 _“Rinn an ceòl le deòin mo thàladh_  
Dlùth do rìbinn donn nam blàth-shul  
‘S i ag ùrnaigh ris an Àrd-Rìgh  
Dìon mo ghràdh ‘th’ air àird a’ chuain  
Bha a cridh’ le gaol gu sgàineadh  
Nuair a ghlac mi fhèin air làimh i  
“Siab do dheòir, do ghaol tha sàbhailt  
Thill mi slàn bhàrr àird a’ chuain.”

Eric waited a moment after he finished signing to make sure that Lily was truly asleep.  He stood up slowly and walked over to the crib.  He laid Lily down in it carefully so he wouldn’t wake her up before tucking her in.  He leaned over to give her a good night kiss before tip toeing out of the room and heading into the room that he shared with Alan.

Alan sat up sleepily.  It looked as he had just started dozing off.  “Is everything alright Eric?”

“Everything’s fine love, don’t worry about it.  Lily was a little riled up before bed, but she’s asleep now.”

“That’s good.” Alan laid back down and got comfortable.

Eric stripped out of the clothes that he had worn that day and put them in the hamper.  He put on a shirt and a pair of cotton trousers before climbing into the bed with Alan.  He pulled the smaller man close and nuzzled into him.

Alan smiled softly in the darkness and gave Eric a kiss.  “Good night Eric.”

“Good night love.”  Eric took off his glasses and nuzzled into Alan once more before letting sleep claim him for the night.

 


End file.
